


About You (and the Cat Too)

by myblueworld



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-11 15:59:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5632510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myblueworld/pseuds/myblueworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>David Villa is not an animal person<br/>David Silva sometimes turns into a cat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. About the New Neighbor

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Inspired by "The Cat Thing", but not related in any way to the work except for the idea of Silva that can turn into a cat

It’s not that David Villa hates animals. Hate is a word too strong for what he thinks and feels about animal. Let’s just say that he likes watching animals. From a distance. Or on TV. Or those cute calendar pictures or the ones on the glossy pages of a magazine. But it doesn’t mean that Villa can’t recognize the sound of a cat meowing, and scratching on the wall.

Especially when it’s the sound that wakes him up at 1.08 AM.

He thought he was dreaming. But when he opens his eyes and he still hears that sound from the suite next to his, he groans, and grabs the pillow next to his side to cover his head.

Surely the new neighbor knows that one of the apartment’s policies in this building is pets are not allowed?  
He knows that somebody has moved in to the suite next to his two or three days ago. He just hasn’t met the person yet. And now he’s thinking that maybe his new neighbor is an old, maybe middle-age woman, who talks to cat and surrounds herself with pictures of cats.

The scratching sound comes again, and Villa flips himself on the bed, groaning into the pillow with frustration. He surely has something to talk about with the new neighbor tomorrow.

 

* * *

 

Villa blames his new neighbor and the stupid cat for everything bad that has happened with him throughout the day.

Waking up late, he was trapped in the traffic jam. And today is one of those days where everyone is just a pain to deal with. Even Frank, who has been his loyal ally at work was grumpy.  He doesn’t even bother to take the elevator to the seventh floor where his suite is. Stomping his feet on each stair case is something that he considers as an acceptable way of releasing his anger. In a record-breaking time, he reaches his destination. The yellowish plates on the door, spelling the number 721 reflect his face as he impatiently knocks on the door.

Hearing the shuffling sound of footsteps from behind the door, Villa prepares a speech (it can be long or short, depends on how it goes later on, Villa decides) that he is going to give to this stupid neighbor, about the policy on owning a pet. He already has a mental image of a middle-age woman; wearing an oversized sweater with cat’s fur here and there on the sweater; opening the door.

But the door swings open, and Villa gasps. Totally not ready to see something that looks like the one standing right in front of him.

Instead of a woman like what Villa has anticipated, the one opening the door is a guy, just a little bit shorter than him. His brunette hair falls messily all over his head, half-covering his eyes.

And freckles. This guy has a constellation of stupid freckles on his face.

“Yes?”

Villa blinks. And then he blinks again. Letting out the breath that he didn’t even realize he has been holding on.

The guy stares at him, curiously. There is a small polite smile on his face, but his eyes look at Villa questioningly.

Villa rubs the back of his neck, suddenly feels nervous and stupid and giddy.

“Hi. Uhmm… I… Hello.” He gulps down. “ I… I am your next door neighbor.”

The smile turns into another kind of smile. A delightful, easy smile. It makes Villa wonder how many kind of smile this guy has.

“Oh, hi! Apologize. I haven’t introduced myself.” He extends his right hand to Villa for a hand shake. Villa shakes his hand, squeezes it. For a split second, he feels like he can hold that hand forever.

“I’m David. Nice to meet you, neighbor.”

Villa’s eyes widened, his grip on the guy’s hand loosen, and he takes his hand away. Somehow it disappoints Villa.

“Really? I’m David too.” Villa coughs a little. “I mean, my name is David. David too. David Villa.”

The eyes in front of him widened, followed with a laughter.

“Seriously? Oh, what a nice coincidence. I’m David Silva.”

“Yes. Nice coincidence, eh?” Villa smiles. Just because this guy in front of him is smiling and it makes Villa want to smile too.

“Well, you can call me Silva, then. I guess it’s easier for you and less confusing.” Silva laughs lightly.

“And you can call me Villa.”

Silva nods. “So, Villa. I’m sorry that I haven’t introduced myself to you properly. I planned to do so when I first moved in but I was caught up in some stuffs. It’s a shame that it’s you who comes to me first.”

It strikes something on Villa’s mind. He vaguely remembers something about the reason why he comes knocking on Silva’s door. Something about the sounds that he heard last night.

“Yeah. I… Well…” Villa clears his throat. “You know… I might be wrong… But I… I guess I’ve heard some… some strange sounds from your place last night?”

The smile on Silva’s face falters, turn into a surprised expression.

“Really? Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Villa shakes his head, about to say that no, it didn’t disturb him at all. But apparently, Silva has not finished yet.

“I’m sorry that my violin has wakened you up.”

Villa almost chokes on nothing.

“Vi… Violin?”

Silva nods and brushes away some of the hair that covers his eyes. “Yes. I play violin. And if I can’t sleep, I usually play a song or two with it. You know, to calm myself so it’s easier for me to sleep.”

Villa’s lips rounded into a single O.

In front of him, Silva runs his finger through his hair. “I’m really sorry that the violin disturbed you.”

Villa shakes his head again, almost furiously. “No! Not at all. Seriously, it didn’t disturb me at all.”

Silva’s face lights up again as he looks at Villa, almost expectantly. “Really?”

“Really. I… I even wonder how you can play so beautifully.”

He knows he’s lying. But whatever.

Silva smiles. Another different kind of smile. A soft, gentle smile.

“Thank you. I’ve played since I was six.”

Villa nods. “That sounds awesome.”

“I… Do you want to come in? It’s still a bit messy…”

Villa rubs the back of his neck again. He’s so, very tempted to say yes. But a little sanity in his head tells him that it’s not the time, yet.

“Uhmm… Maybe next time.” He tightens his grip on his bag. “I… I just got back from work. And I don’t want to  keep you out from unpacking.” He tries to make up reason.

Silva tilts his head a little to the left. “Okay then. If you say so.”

A strange feeling of disappointment hits Villa.

“Well, I’ll… I guess… I’ll see you around, then?”

“I’ll see you around, neighbor.” David smiles, and closes the door.

It takes two second for Villa to compose himself, make a 90 degree turn to the right, and walks to his own apartment.

In his apartment, he throws himself to the couch. Loosening his tie, something in the back of his mind telling him that he’s forgetting something that he supposed to say to Silva. He tries to remember it, but all that he can remember is how Silva’s eyes look so warm like melted caramel.

That night, Villa goes to sleep, and dreams about a cat playing a violin.


	2. About Villa's Plan. (And His New Routine)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David Villa wakes up with a plan. And following the plan, it makes him have a new routine.

On Friday morning, three days after his first encounter with Silva, Villa wakes up with a plan. He set up his alarm an hour earlier than usual. Once he wakes up, he takes a shower, and does his routines quicker than usual.

In front of his coffee machine, he calls Frank. He’s not really surprised to reach the mailbox.

“Hey, Frank! Mate, I may, or may not be late today. But just in case that I am late, just… try to make up some excuses for me if Pirlo asks, okay? Thank you, Frank. I owe you one.”

The mug is warm on his hand when he walks to the bathroom, checking his look for one last time. Gulping down his coffee hastily, he tells himself that no, he’s not being ridiculous for doing this. Well, maybe. Just a little. Villa glances at his watch, and decides that maybe it’s about time for him to continue with his plan.

Putting the mug on the kitchen counter, he walks to the front door. He stands there, quietly, afraid to make any sound that might make him ruin his own plan. But the only sound that he hear is himself breathing.

Villa stands there for a couple of minutes, just stands still, waiting.

Just when he starts thinking that maybe, maybe his plan is somehow not working, he hears a soft creaking sound of the door being opened. Heart pounding in his chest, Villa opens his door and walks out.

Just in time when Silva also walks out from his door.

Villa has prepared a dialogue. On how to start a normal, polite but nice conversation.

But once Silva lifts his head and smiles at him with an easy, open smile; all the words that he has prepared and practiced in front of the mirror just vanish.

“Hey, Villa!”

“Hey. Silva, right?”

Villa doesn’t usually like it when he has to lie. But to his defense, he’s not actually lying. He’s just pretending that he almost forget Siva’s name. But seeing the way Silva’s smile just lights up, he thinks that it’s worth it.

“You remember me!” Silva locks the door and takes his key out, putting it into his bag. “Going to work?”

“Uh huh,” Villa nods, mimicking what Silva just did. “You?”

“Yeah. Thank God it’s Friday, huh?” Silva says, brushing his hair off his forehead.

“Do you always leave this early?” Villa asks as they walk side by side towards the elevator.

Silva nods as they enter the elevator.

“I don’t want to get stuck in the traffic.” He looks at Villa, fingers in front of the buttons. “Basement?”

“Yes, please.”

“Good. I also park my car there.”

Villa swears that the elevator goes much much faster than it usually is to go to the basement. But at least, in that short period of time, he manages to find out that Silva works as a software engineer since he graduated 3 years ago.

“That’s my car over there,” Silva points to the car, not far from where Villa’s car is parked.

“Oh. Okay,” Villa says, somehow feels an urge to walk Silva to his car, making sure that he enters the car safe and sound.

“Bye, Villa. Have a nice day.” Silva waves a little at him, and walks away.

Villa stands next to his car, watching Silva walks to his own car, and enters it. The sound of Silva closing the door resonates loudly in the quiet parking lot.

Villa enters his car, but doesn’t start driving until he sees Silva’s car goes out of his sight.

He sighs contently and starts the engine.

His plan seems to work. And now he’s ready to start the day.

* * *

 

“You have a new routine now.”

“Huh?” Villa turns on his heels, startles, and finding James staring at him with a strange look in his eyes. “What do you mean?” he asks, pouring coffee into his mug.

James waits until Villa puts back the pot to the coffee machine.

“You have a new routine.”

Sipping his coffee, Villa stares back at James from the rim of his cup.

“What routine are you talking about, Milner?”

“Now every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you always come earlier than you usually did.”

Villa takes another sip of the coffee. “I don’t see any problem with that. And I think Pirlo will actually happy about it, seeing his employees coming early to work.”

“And…”

“And what?”

“You smile more than usual on those days.”

Villa chokes on the coffee. Coughing, he glares at James, who still looks at him, this time looks amused, and somehow, proud of his own conclusion.

“What the fuck is wrong with smiling?”

James shakes his head lightly. “Nothing. But the thing is, people smile, but not you, Villa. Your bitch face is your by-default expression.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Milner!” Villa takes another gulp of his coffee, suddenly thinks he needs a stronger one.

He shakes his head, and walks away from the counter. But of course, James has not finished yet with his observation.

“And one more thing, Villa,” he says, when Villa is just two footsteps away from him.

Villa freezes where he stands, says nothing but waiting nervously.

“You also wears more after shave cologne on those days.”

Villa quickly turns around on his heels, giving James a deadly glare.

“You,” Villa shakes his head, opens his mouth but closes it again because really, he can’t say anything at all. So he just shakes his head again and groans. “Fuck off, Milner!”

As he turns back to walk away, he can hear James chuckles.

“Oh, and Villa, the Burberry aftershave that you’re using, it’s on sale for the week on their website if you want to check it out.”

Villa only curses as he walks away from the kitchen area of the office, back to his desk.

Sitting on his desk, he starts to look at the papers on his desk.

After 8 minutes, he gives up. He turns on his swivel chair to face his computer, and starts looking up the Burberry webpage.

James is right, indeed.

Well, buying another bottle of cologne won’t hurt anyone, right? A decent man who works in a solid finance company like him surely need to stock on a good fragrance, right?

 

* * *

 

The truth is, James is indeed, right. For the last couple of weeks, Villa goes through a new routine. He wakes up earlier and gets himself ready so that he will walk out his door at the very same time when Silva will also get out of his. And they will walk together to the parking lot in the basement. It’s a short trip. Too short for Villa’s liking. But for now, Villa takes it as enough. Until he comes up with a better plan to make the encounters between him and Silva last longer.

“Good morning, Villa!”

Villa returns the smile that Silva gives him. Silva’s smile is just the sunshine that he needs to start his day.

“Hey,” he says, putting his keys into his bag.

“Nice clip you have today,” Silva lightly touches the tie-clip that Villa wears today. It takes a lot for Villa not to grab Silva’s hand and keep it there, so close to where his heart is.

“Oh, thank you,” Villa blushes. He feels like a stupid 16-year boy having a crush. "Do you like it?”

Because he needs to know. He needs Silva’s approval. Silva told him once that he wanted to be a pilot when he was a kid. And Villa ended up spending two good hours in the evening, browsing some sites to find a thing about airplanes that he can use without being too obvious.

A tie pin it is.

The right tip of Silva’s lips curls up into a crooked smile. “Yeah. I really like it.”

Villa might be smiling stupidly right now. But he couldn’t care less.

“By the way, Villa,” Silva stops right in front of Villa’s car. “I just realized something. It’s been more than a month since I moved in and we become neighbors.”

 _Six weeks, to be exact,_  Villa corrects quietly.

“And I haven’t invited you for a proper housewarming kind of thing.”

Villa puts his hand on his car hood. More because he needs something solid to hold on to, as his heart starts to beat faster than it should.

“So,” Silva gives him an easy, open smile. “If you’re not busy, you should come over to my place this Friday to have dinner together. What do you think?”

Villa thinks it’s something close to heaven.

“Sounds nice. I don’t think I have any particular plan to do anyway this Friday evening.”

Silva’s eyes glint along with his smile. “Say, at around 7, will it work for you?”

“Seven works for me.”

“Cool. I’ll see you on Friday, then. Have a great day, Villa”

Villa watches as Silva leaves him to his own car.  When he enters his car and drive away, he feels like he just wins something.


	3. About Aleks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silva invited Villa for dinner. So Villa goes to Silva's apartment. He meets Aleks there.

It’s 6.58. The last time Villa checks his watch, it was 6.57. He is usually a very punctual man (the only person that can beat this at works is of course, James Milner). But showing up at exactly 7 in front of Silva will only make it obvious, right? So he goes to his bedroom once again, takes a quick look in the mirror to make sure that his hair is at its best, practice to smile for one last time. He checks his watch again.

7.01.

Villa takes a deep breathe.

He can do it. Of course he can do this. He’s been in  a date before, isn’t he?

But, is this really a date, anyway?

Villa shakes his head, trying to push the thought to the back of his head.

At least, he can consider this as a start of trying to get a date with Silva.

And hey, it was Silva who invited him. That’s a sign, isn’t it? A good sign. A very good sign.

He grabs the bottle of wine that he has prepared (a nice gesture from a neighbor next door, right? A decent thing any real gentleman will do for this kind of occasion; Villa believes).

Villa walks out of his apartment. While walking to the door of Silva’s, he sniffs his wrist once again, making sure that the scent of the cologne still stays there.

In front of the door, he glances again at his left hand.

7.04.

Not too early to show how much he actually wants to see Silva, but also not that late to make him looks like he’s not appreciating time.

He takes another deep breath, half-hoping that his heart beat is not audible even though it’s pounding in his chest.

He knocks the door.

He already smiles, knowing that he will see Silva and his charming eyes and that brilliant smile.

The door swings open.

It’s not Silva.

Villa’s smile instantly vanishes to see the tall guy who still holds the door knob. With a very short hair, and a pair of thick eyebrows that furrows down, the guy looks quite…intimidating.

“Yes?” the man almost barks, and somehow he reminds Villa of a wolf. “Who are you?”

Villa straightens up his back. A sense of pride and self-defense kicking in as he glares at the guy.

“I’m Villa, and I live next door.” He says, not letting his gaze falls of from the guy’s eyes. “And who are _you_?”

The guy glares back at him.

“I’m Aleks,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest, making his colorful tattoo even more exposed to Villa’s sight. “And what do you want, Villa?”

“Silva invited me to come over for dinner,” Villa answers, matter-of-factly. Inside his head, he hopes that this guy is not going to have dinner together with them. “Is he here?”

Villa is a good observer, that’s why he doesn’t fail to notice how Alek’s back is stiffen a bit.

“David? Oh, he…” Aleks blinks, “He’s not here.”

Villa’s brows knotted into one. “He’s not here? Where is he?”

Surely Silva does not forget about his own invitation, does he?

Aleks rubs the back of his left ear.

“Well… He… He has… some kind of family matter comes up suddenly,” he says. “A _very_ urgent one.” He adds, as if trying to convince Villa.

Villa opens his mouth, but before he says anything, a soft meowing sound stops him.

Both of them look down, where a cat with dark fur suddenly just appears, rubbing his side to Aleks’ shoe.

Aleks’ expression instantly change from unfriendly to a fond smile as he picks up the cat with both of his hand, and nuzzle the cat’s nose.

 “There’s a cat.” Villa says, not really sure which one that he finds more confusing, the fact that there is a cat here in the apartment or the way Aleks looks adoringly at the cat.

Aleks scratches the back of the cat’s ear, which earns him a content purr from the cat.

He turns his face to look at Villa, and once their eyes meet, his expression back to the frowning one.

“Yes. This is a cat. Do you have any problem with that?”

Villa decides not to answer that question. Not just because he knows that Aleks doesn’t want any answer anyway. But also because he can’t really decide whether he does have a problem with it. Cats annoy him (and most other animals, to be honest). But the fact that the cat is in Silva’s apartment is somehow makes him think that it should be something that doesn’t bother him at all.

“Is it Silva’s cat?”

There is a strange expression in Aleks eyes as he turns his face a little to look at the cat, who’s cuddling contently in his arms. As if he is thinking the right, most appropriate answer for that.

But then he looks back at Villa, with a glint in his eyes.

“This is my cat. And his name is Merlin.” He says. He turns to face the cat again, gently rubs the side of its face.

“Right, Merlin? You are Daddy Aleks’ cat, aren’t you, you little weasel?” Aleks talks to the cat with the kind of voice that Villa never expect to comes out from a person that looks as fierce as Aleks.

The cat purrs again.

Villa is itchy to say that Merlin is a cat, not a weasel, not even half of it. But he decides to keep the thought for himself. And he thinks, dropping the subject about the cat is the best thing for now.

“So, Silva is not here?”

Aleks shakes his head. “Told you. David has a family matter and had to go. He asked me to take care of his apartment while he’s gone.”

Villa’s heart lurches down to his stomach.

“Do you know when will he come back?”

Aleks tilts his head a bit to the left. There is a vague smile there.

“He’ll be back to himself tomorrow, usually…”

Villa blinks.

“Huh? Excuse me?”

Aleks looks a little bit taken aback for a slight moment. But then he calmly repeats his word.

“I said, he will be back tomorrow, probably,” he says, casually brushes the cat. The cat lifts up his head and meows, as if approving what Aleks just said.

“Oh. Okay.”

There is just something feels so heavy inside of him, Villa doesn’t even want to say anything else. He just turns around on his heels, and walks back to his apartment.

Entering his apartment, he slumps down his coach. For a few minutes, he tries to breathe normally, which is a bit hard to do, as his chest feels heavy.

It takes a while before he realized that he’s still holding the wine bottle. He stares at the bottle, feeling lonely.

At least he doesn’t have to share the wine with anyone tonight.


	4. About A Late Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David Villa has a late breakfast in a late Saturday morning.

There are a lot of things that annoy Villa. And one of them, is waking up because of someone knocking on his door. Opening his eyes, Villa grunts, and closes his eyes again. He prays that whoever it is in front of his door, they would just give up. But of course, the whole world hates him because the knocking continues.

Villa opens his eyes and swears as he checks his phone. It’s almost noon, but since it is Saturday so for Villa 11.40 is still considered as morning.

It takes two or three seconds for Villa to really wake up, though. He must have fallen asleep on the couch last night, drowning in glasses of wine, fruitlessly trying to heal his disappointment.

He sits up, and listens. The knocking stops for a while, but comes back.

Villa drags his feet to the door, murmuring something about wanting to punch whoever it is in front of the door. Even if it is Frank, he will still punch Frank. Frank will understand and forgive him anyway.

“What?” Villa barks as he pulls the door open.

“Euh…”

Villa must be dreaming. It must be because of those fucking wine. He holds the door knob tighter and leans his side to the door.

“I… I’m sorry…” Silva looks at him with a pair of wide eyes, looking hesitant.

“No… No… I mean… It’s totally fine! You’re all right. I’m okay. Nothing at all…” Villa says, almost panicking. Because he can’t take it to see Silva looking like that, like guilt is physically weighing down.

Silva licks his lower lip.

“I’m really sorry. About last night.”

Villa shakes his head. “No, really. You’re fine. Your friend told me that you have… an urgent family matter?”

“Uh…” Silva ducks his head down, looking at the tip of his sneakers. “Yeah. Kind of.”

He lifts his head up again. “I… I actually had cooked…for the dinner,” he said, lifting the paper bag that he is carrying a little higher to show it to Villa.

“So maybe we can have it for breakfast? A late breakfast? Or an early lunch?” he asks, with an almost childish look in his eyes.

“Together?” Villa asks back, a little bit stunned.

Silva’s eyes fall again to the floor, as he lets his hand that carries the bag goes back to the side of his body.

“Well… only if you want to,” Silva says quietly, even though it’s more like he’s talking to his shoes instead of to Villa.

“Of course!”

And without even realizing it, Villa’s hand flies to ruffle Silva’s hair.

Silva lifts up his head, meeting Villa’s eyes. A brilliant genuine smile blooms in his face.

There is something in Villa’s throat to see that smile.  But then he realizes that he still has his hand on Silva’s head, his fingers buried between the soft strands of Silva’s hair.

He quickly takes his hand off, and looks away as he steps back from the door, giving space for Silva to walk in.

“Come in,” he says. Silva steps in, and stops in front of the dining table. He puts the paper bag on the dining table.

“Aleks put them in the fridge last night. So can I heat these?” he asks.

Villa walks closer to the table, rubbing his face with both of his hand. “Yeah. Sure.”

He points at the microwave.

“The microwave is over there,” the he waves vaguely around the kitchen. “And… just… well, if you need plate or anything… Just… it’s in the cabinets…”

Silva nods, and starts pulling out some containers from the bag.

“I’ll go clean myself…” he says. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

Silva looks at him, and smiles as he flick some hair from his eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t go anywhere.”

“Please don’t…” Villa says. Once the words fall from his lips, he gasps, can’t believe what he just said.

For a beat too long, they look at each other, and Villa almost swears that he’s not the only one blushing.

But then Silva gives him a gentle smile. “No, I won’t.” he says, and pick one of the containers.

“Good,” Villa unconsciously smiles. “Just… I’ll be back.”

Villa turns around, and walks, almost hops, to his room.

In the bathroom, he’s thinking of taking a shower, which will obviously make him look at his best in front of Silva. But on second thought, a shower will make him have to stay in the bathroom longer, which means less time to spend with Silva.

A minute or two of contemplating, he decides taking a shower instead, vowing to himself that he will be in the shower for not a even second longer than he needs.

It must be the most efficient shower that he has ever taken.

In front of the mirror, Villa spends a couple of minutes nervously doing his hair before he finally gives up. He walks out of the room.

“Hey,” Silva greets him from the chair in front of the dining table. The table has been set up nicely. Villa realizes that he can’t remember when the last time he his table set up properly like this.

“Oh wow…” he comments, looking at the food that spreads delicious smell.

“You cooked this all by yourself?” he asks, pulling the chair in front of Silva and sits.

“Uh huh…” Silva nods. “Well, Aleks came yesterday when I was cooking so he also helped me a bit.”

There is a pang of strange feeling that makes Villa cringes a little.

“Come on, give it a try.” Silva pushes a bowl filled with chicken pieces.

Villa does what he said. He can feel how Silva is watching him as he takes a bites.

Really, Villa didn’t mean to do it, but the chicken is so delicious, he moans a little.

“God, Silva. This is so good!” he says, taking more to his plate. In front of him, Silva beams a bright smile.

The food is good. So good. But the perfection of the lunch comes from the easy conversation that they have while eating.

“So, besides playing the violin, cooking like the grand finalist of Master Chef, what other secrets about you that you haven’t told me yet?” Villa asks, pushing his empty plate.

Villa might just imagined it, but there is a shadow on Silva’s face as he takes another gulp of water from his glass.

“Nothing really interesting…” Silva answers, looking at the pattern of the plate that he is tracing with his finger.

Villa wants to say that no, everything, anything about Silva is something that he wants to know. He wants to know how Silva takes his coffee. Does he like the rain. What is his favorite ice cream flavor. All sort of things. But something on Silva’s expression, something that he can’t really translate holds him from doing so.

Villa clears his throat.

“So… Is your friend… still in your apartment?”

Silva raises his eyebrows. “You mean Aleks?”

“Yes. Him.”

Silva shakes his head. “He went home once I… got back.”

“He has a cat with him.”

Silva shifts in his chair. “Yeah. But the cat is gone now.”

“Is he your friend at work? Aleks, I mean, not the cat.”

Silva laughs lightly. “No. Aleks is an old friend of mine. Like, we grew up together.”

Villa’s nods. “So you two have known each other for long?”

“Yeah. He knows a lot about me,” there is a small, gentle smile on Silva’s face.

Villa bites his lower lip. “I wish I could be one too.”

Silva’s brows raise a little above his questioning eyes.

“I wish I can be someone who knows a lot of thing about you.”

Silva’s lips slowly curl up into a shy, but genuine smile. “I want to know a lot about you too, actually.”

Villa leans forward, and braces himself to cup Silva’s hand.

“We can start now, can’t we?”

“Yeah. Now will be a good time to start,” Silva holds his hand back.

Maybe the smile on his face makes him look like an idiot. But Villa could not make himself care.

He just wants to smile.


	5. About Some Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David Silva and David Villa both have a conversation. They talk with different people. But they talk about the same thing anyway.

* * *

 

_Call me when you got back from that neighbor_

Silva can’t help to have a little smile on his lips as he reads the message that Aleks sent him. He slides his finger on the phone, and listens to the long tones, waiting for Aleks to pick up the phone.

“Hey, David!”

“Aleks!” David slumps himself in the armchair, and rested his legs on the coffee table.

“So, how was the lunch with that neighbor?’

There is a rush of strangely nice feeling running in his vein when Silva thinks about what happened earlier.

“Was… good…” he answers, shrugging his shoulders but quietly smiling.

“Hmm…” Aleks hums. “I guess it’s more than okay considering it takes you almost three hours before you finally call this poor old man, huh?”

Silva chuckles. “Can’t hide anything from you, eh Aleks?”

“Sadly, you can’t.”

“Okay… it was very nice…”

Aleks gives a little hum, signaling Silva to continue. Somehow, the absence any interrogating question from Aleks makes David more relax.

“We talked a lot. Like… a lot. The conversation was easy and it’s just great that I get to know more about him.”

“Enough to make your crush on him even bigger?”

Silva laughs, but can feel a rush of heat on his cheeks.

“Oh, come on, Aleks. It’s not like that!”

“Hey, I won’t blame you to have a crush on him, though. He’s quite good looking. Even though I have to say that his soul patch is so last decade.”

Silva snorts. “Say someone whose haircut hasn’t changed for a decade.”

“You yourself, young man, have a questionable taste in fashion.”

“You know what, Aleks?” Silva absently fiddles with the hem of his shirt. “He asked about you.”

“Did he?”

“Uh huh…” Silva says. He can faintly hear the sound of a song in a foreign language in the background. Probably Aleks is streaming to one of those Serbian songs again.

“So, did I do a good job in making sure that he wouldn’t even think of breaking your heart, or I will come after him like a nightmare?”

“In other words, you want to know whether you scared him.”

“Not. Not at all. I’ve never been a scary man.”

Silva lets out a laugh, shaking his head.

“Anyway, he told me that you have a cat.”

“Oh, do I?”

Silva doesn’t answer. He bites his lips. Sensing the silence, Aleks asks again, with a lower, more serious tone.

“Do you think he knows? Or at least, has any…suspicion?”

Silva stands up and starts wandering around his living room.

“I don’t know. I guess… no?” Silva sighs. “And if he… suspects anything about it, he said nothing to me.”

Aleks makes a low humming noise.

“You know you have to tell him about it at one point, don’t you?”

Silva runs his hand on his hair. “Aleks, come on. It’s not like… we’re together or something…”

“Not yet,” Aleks cuts his sentence.

“Listen, I don’t even know where we’re going yet, I don’t even know whether this is…. Whatever it is between us…is something serious…”

“Hey, no rush, David.”

David stops where he stands now, rubbing his face with his spare hand.

“Listen, I, and the others, we just want what’s best for you. We just don’t want you to get hurt, okay?”

A small smile of fondness curls up on Silva’s face.

“Okay, Aleks.”

“Good. Now let this lonely man have his dinner…”

There is a sound of someone shouting at Aleks in the background. Aleks seems to cover the phone with his hand as Silva only hears a muffle sound of Aleks’ voice. But he can mentally imagine Aleks talk to Edin.

“So yeah,” Aleks return talking to him. “And you know we’re here for you, okay?”

“Okay, Aleks. Thank you.”

There is another sound of someone shouting in the background.

“That is Edin,” Aleks tells him. “He said he misses you.”

Silva laughs. “Tell him to come with you the next time you visit me.”

“He will. At least I will drag him along with me.”

“Bye, Aleks.”

Silva ends the call. He throws the phone to the couch, and rubs his face with both hands. Shaking his head, he walks to the cabinet where he keeps his violin.

He takes it out, and runs his fingers gently on the side of it.

The next minute, he already lost himself in the music that he’s playing.

Next door, Villa stands with his right ear on the wall.

 

* * *

 

[*]

“I have two possibilities. Tell me which one is correct?”

“Huh?” Villa turns around on his swivel chair, finding Frank leaning his side on the frame of his cubicle. There is a knowing, but half-teasing smile on the English guy’s lips.

“It’s either Pirlo is giving you a raise, or….” Frank lets his sentence hangs there.

Villa’s brows shoot up, as he fiddles with the pen between his two fingers.

Frank tilts his head a little to the left, as if studying every detail of Villa’s expression. Villa shifts uncomfortably in his seat, feeling like Frank is really looking through him.

“Or what?” he almost snaps.

“Or… you’re in love.”

Villa startles, eyes widened. There is a strange feeling pulling on his chest, and he quickly swivels back to face his computer.

“Fuck off, Lamps!”

“Ah… it’s the second one, then…” Frank nods.

“Don’t you have anything else better to do besides making stupid empty deduction?” Villa barks, but still not trusting himself to look at his co-worker. He quietly hopes that from where he stands, Frank won’t be able to see how his face has changed color.

“An accurate conclusion is actually the correct term for it…” Frank said, amused.

Villa grunts something about kicking his ass.

“Anyway, Villa…”

Villa braces himself to look at Lamps over his shoulder.

“You can always ask me for suggestion on a proper date, okay?” Frank winks at him before walks away.

Villa groans in frustration as he can hear the faint laugh of Frank walking away.

But then he looks at the tie pin that he’s wearing. A silvery miniature of an airplane, that Silva once touches with a gentle, genuine smile.

And just thinking about it already makes Villa shiver.

He can’t remember when the last time he felt that way.

He’s not even sure if he ever felt this way before.                    


	6. About A Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villa decides that it's time to make another move. Fate decides that it's time for Villa to meet some other friends of Silva. And to meet a cat (again).

Of course, that late breakfast on Saturday is a good sign for a start. But still, it takes two weeks before Villa finally has enough courage, and steels himself to make another move.

So here he is right now, in front of Silva’s door at 7.12 PM on a Friday evening, with the nicest button-up shirt that he has. He spent almost the whole day in the office trying to decide which one is better, do some cooking so he can ask Silva come over to his place for a nice home-made dinner, or just ask Silva to go out for dinner in a nice place.

Thinking of how Silva has cooked the meal that time, of course, cooking for dinner seems to be the most appropriate way to return the gesture. But after a second thought, Villa dismissed the idea as it means that he would be gambling with the risk of food poisoning if he does something a little bit more complicated than boiling water in the kitchen.

So a nice restaurant, it is.

Frank gives him a list of an option that he can go to. But not after torturing him with some teasing and bantering about _oh-Villa-finally-found-someone_ for a painful twenty minutes. Not to mention that James that suddenly just popped out of nowhere, and gladly participated to help Frank in making Villa’s face burn like he never has before.

Villa nervously shifts his weight to the balls of his feet, and lets out a long breath from his mouth. After quietly giving himself a peep talk, he knocks the door. After waiting by counting up to seven, he knocks again.

“Coming…!”

He can hear a muffled voice behind the door answers him. Forehead creased, Villa doesn’t recognize the voice. It really doesn’t sound like Silva’s voice. Following the sound of footsteps coming to the door, the door creaks opened.

A blonde guy, towering above Villa, is standing right in front of him.

Well, he’s definitely not Silva.

“Yes? Can I help you?”

This guy seems a friendly one, from the smile that he has on his face.

“I…” Villa shifts a bit uncomfortably. “Is Silva here?”

“You mean David?” the blonde guy looks a bit startled. But then he looks back at Villa, not-too-discreetly looking over Villa from head to toe. Something in Villa’s face must have reminded him of something, as a smile instantly flashes on his face.

“Aaahh… you must be the other David, right? Villa?”

“Uhhmm… Yes?” Villa answers but still confused.

“Hi! I’m Joe, by the way. Come in!” Joe opens the door wider, and steps aside, giving Villa enough space to come in.

Villa glances over the living room. The TV is on, showing a football match. As far as he can see, there’s no one else in the living room. Joe already walks pass him, and sits on the couch. He waves a little to Villa, who still stands near the door, bemused.

“Come on. Have a seat.”

A bit hesitant, Villa walks to where Joe is sitting, and carefully sits at the other end of the couch.

“Want something to drink? Beers?” Joe gestures at some cans on the table, only one has been opened.

Villa shakes his head. “Thanks, I’m good.”

He rubs his palms on his thighs. “So, is… Is Silva here?”

Joe doesn’t answer him for a while. He stares at Villa, looking a little bit blank as he rubs his chin.

“Well, he’s actually here but he’s not really here. But let’s just say that he’s not here…”

The crease in Villa’s forehead gets deeper as he tries to process what Joe just said.

“What do you mean? He’s not here?”

“Well…He… he has an urgent family matter suddenly comes up…” Joe says.

Another family matters?

Villa makes a mental note to ask about this to Silva the next time he has a chance (if he ever has the chance, by the way). He is about to ask more when a soft sound distract them both.

A cat walks to the couch they are sitting on, meowing. Villa easily recognizes it. It’s the cat. The same cat like the one that he saw last time he was here. Joe’s face suddenly beamed with a big grin as he bows down and takes the cat to put it on his lap. The cat sniffs at Joe’s thigh as he brushes the cat’s back, and then it comfortably snuggles on Joe’s lap.

“Is Aleks here?” Villa blurts out, not terribly liking the idea of having to meet the guy again.

Joe looks up from the cat to stare at Villa, half-amused, half-confused.

“Huh?”

“Aleks. Is he here?”

Joe shakes his head. “No, he’s not.”

“Then why his cat is here?”

Joe’s eyes light up. “Ooohh… I get it. Is that what Aleks told you? That Merlin is _his_ cat?”

“Uh huh…” Villa nods a little, feeling like an idiot and quietly blaming Aleks for that.

Joe laughs. A loud and amused one.

“Really? Did he really say so?” he says. He shakes his head. “Poor old Aleks. He’s such a big liar.”

“Oh?” Villa has totally no idea why the concept of who own this cat seems to be a big thing.

Joe scratches the back of the cat’s ear.

“Because Merlin…” he continues stroking the cat’s fur. “Merlin doesn’t just belong to Aleks. Merlin belongs to all of us.”

Villa stares at him blankly.

Merlin purrs again, and stretches at Joe’s lap.

Villa is trying to come up with a question, a question sensible enough to have a sensible explanation of this insensible thing. But before any words come to his mind, a knock from the door makes him looks at the door.

“Oh, it must be Samir. I texted him to come over.” Joe explains, and picks Merlin up from his lap to put him on the floor. Villa watches as Merlin follows Joe to the door, and then he sighs. Resting his back on the couch. The whole situation is somehow just confusing for him, and he’s about to stand up to leave when Joe comes back. Another man, shorter than him with dark hair follows him, holding Merlin.

“Ah… So this is Villa?” The man greets him, the corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles brightly. “I’m Samir, nice to finally meet you.”

Villa waves a little, rather awkwardly to Samir, who slumps himself in the armchair across Villa.

Merlin now lies comfortably on Samir’s lap, looking sleepy while Samir rubbing the fur of his back.

“You’re David’s next door neighbor, right?”

Villa shifts uncomfortably in his seat. It strangely annoys him that both Joe and Samir (oh, and Aleks too) seem to intimately know Silva, judging from the way they easily call him by his first name.

“Uh huh…”

Samir nods. He still rubbing Merlin’s fur, and his smile still lingers on his face. But Villa notes that his eyes are intently studying him.

“You know, Aleks told us about you.”

“Oh, did he?” Villa asks, a little bit surprised.

Samir gives him a nod as an answer. “He likes to keep an eye on David, making sure that David is all right.”

Villa is about to argue on that, about to point out that Silva is surely capable of taking care of himself. But then Joe’s chuckling from the couch.

“Samir, do you know what Aleks said about Merlin?”

Samir looks at Joe, one of his brows raised.

“He said that Merlin is _his_ cat.”

This time both of Samir’s brows raised up before he lets out an amused laugh.

“Oh, don’t you hear that, Merlin?” Samir talks to the cat, while Villa stares at them in a disbelief. “Old Aleks want to have you for himself. But you are _ours_ , aren’t you, Merlin?”

Merlin meows and then sits up on Samir’s lap. Samir gently strokes his chin, which makes the cat closes his eyes and purrs contently. He snuggles back on Samir’s lap.

“You three… Really like cats?” Villa asks, quite dumbfoundedly. He knows a lot of men that like dog. And of course, he is fully aware that there are also men who prefer cats. But still, finding how these men seem to be so fond of that…that cat… It’s just something that Villa finds odd.

Joe smirks. “Well, not all cat. But Merlin is a special cat.”

As if he knows that they are talking about him, Merlin stretches lazily, and sits up again on Samir’s lap, as if listening to their conversation.

“How about Silva? Does he like cats too?”

Even Villa finds his own question sounds stupid. But in front of him, Samir laughs.

“Villa, David _is_ a cat…”

Villa’s eyes widened.

Samir stares at him with a lopsided smirk. His eyes are glinting.

“You’ve just known him for a short time, Villa. But once you get to know him better, you’ll see that he is a cat in human form. The way he makes you do the things that he wants you to do, like a cat being the master of its owner.”

Samir’s words make Villa shiver. Because somehow he can sense that Samir is telling him the truth. He glances at Joe. The blonde guy sits with his arms folded over his chest, grinning, as if he finds the whole situations to be entertaining.

“What about you, Villa?”

Taken aback, Villa looks back at Samir.

“Do you like cat?”

If only he was in another situation, if only the one who asked the question is a different person, without thinking Villa would just easily say that he’s obviously not a cat lover.

But somehow this is different. Villa feels like he needs to give a good impression about him and…cat. Instinctively, Villa glances at Merlin. And strangely, the cat looks like he is also waiting for Villa’s answer. He looks curious, as curious as a cat can look.

Villa unconsciously licks his lip, trying to find the most diplomatic answer without having to lie too much.

“Let’s just say that… I have nothing against cat.” He says carefully.

The answer seems to be satisfying enough for Samir, as he nods. But Joe comes up with another question.

“What about the cats themselves, Villa? Do they like you?”

Villa gasps, totally not ready for the question. Samir chuckles.

“That’s an interesting question…” Samir says, carefully picks Merlin up and puts him on the floor. He meows, stretches again, and walks towards Villa.

Villa freezes on his seat, can do nothing but stares at the cat. At the back of his head, Villa vaguely finds there is something strange about this cat. Something weird. Something he just can’t put his finger on to. The cat stops close to his feet, and looks up at him. Villa stares back at the cat’s eyes, and somehow feels a bit lightheaded, like he is being hypnotized.

After a second or two, Merlin walks even closer, and rubs his head at his feet, purring.

Villa doesn’t dare to move. He doesn’t even dare to breathe. He strangely feels like he is being tested.

Merlin turns around, and walks back to Samir. He reaches up with his paw, and Samir picks him up.

Villa lets out his breathe that he’s been holding.

“Well, good news. He likes you…” Samir winks at him with a grin.

Villa doesn’t even have the faintest idea on how to respond to that. But he knows, he just knows it, that it is indeed a good thing. Even though he doesn’t understand why.

“Well,” he rubs his hand on his thighs, and stands up. “I… I guess I should be going now.”

“Nice meeting you, Villa.” Samir smiles at him in a strange way. Like he knows something that Villa doesn’t.

Joe stands up too.

“Please tell Silva that I came by?” he asks.

“Oh, he knows already that you come.” Joe says, half-laughing.

“Excuse me?” Villa quickly turns his head at Joe. He might have imagined it, but from the corner of his eyes, he sees that Samir gives Joe a warning look.

Joe coughs. “I mean, he will know for sure. We will tell him about it.”

“You can also text him if you want to,” Samir adds.

Villa’s ears suddenly heat up. “I… I don’t have his number…yet.”

“Oh, that’s easy to fix…” Joe takes out his phone from his pocket. Following his gesture, Villa takes his, and diligently puts some number that Joe is dictating to him.

“Well… nice meeting you all.” Villa says, and walks to the door. Walking just a step behind him, Joe opens the door for him. Villa waves again, rather awkwardly, at Joe who beams a smile at him before closing the door.

Villa walks back to his apartment with wide steps, and enters it in quite a hurry. Leaning his back on the door, he tries to catch his breathe.

_What the fuck was that?_

Villa shakes his head, and walks to his couch.

He orders some Chinese and watches the highlights of the latest Champions League games. But still he fails to shrug off the weird feeling that he has about what happened in Silva’s apartment.

Right before he falls asleep, Villa realizes one of the odd things about Merlin.

His eyes are not green.

Merlin’s eyes are brown. The same shades as Silva’s eyes.

 

* * *

 

(I know I should have put it in the notes but let me just put this picture here. I personally think that if Silva is a cat, this is how he would look like:


	7. About A Cat in The Hallway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David Villa finds a cat. He decides to bring the cat in into his apartment.

 

[*]

“So, how’re things without Edin?”

At the other end of the line, Aleks huffs. “Well, it’s more quiet and peaceful without him.”

“But you miss him don’t you?” Silva asks, a little teasingly.

“Naaahhh… Not really.”

Silva laughs lightly. “Relax. He’s just gonna be in Rome for three weeks, right? And I’m pretty sure he calls you every night.”

“And morning too, actually,” Aleks adds.

Silva chuckles.

“Oh, and before I forgot, Edin said he sent you a postcard a few days ago.”

“Really? I haven’t checked my mailbox yet. It’s downstairs. But tell him I say thanks!”

“Sure. Now I have to take that chicken out from the oven. Talk to you later, okay?”

“Okay. Bye, Aleks!”

Silva throws his phone to the couch absently. It’s Friday night and somehow he was lucky that he can get home earlier than usual. He had quite an early dinner, and now he just sorts of not having anything else to do.

Oh, right. Postcard. He should check his mailbox downstairs. He walks out of his apartment, and just two steps away from the door, he realizes that he has forgotten his keys in. Shrugging his shoulders, he keeps on walking. It only takes less than 10 minutes to check the mailbox and come back. Surely nothing will happen to his apartment even though he leaves it unlocked only for 10 minutes, right?

His finger was about to press the button when he starts to feel a tingling sensation, starting on his feet.

_Oh, shit. Not again._

Silva turns on his heels, at the back of his mind he makes a mental note to talk with his _abuela_ on why lately this thing happens more frequently. He tries to make his way back to his apartment before the transformation gets any further. But a single step is the only one that he can make before the sensation is getting stronger, reaching his chest like a whirlwind. The world starts to spin around him, and there is nothing else that he can do besides closing his eyes. Shortly, the tingling sensation changes into a rush of air against his skin, as if he’s falling down from a height.

When Silva opens his eyes, everything looks much bigger than him. He looks around, but there’s no one in sight. He sees a big pot of fake palm tree at the end of the hallway. With soft small steps, he walks away there.

 

* * *

 

[*]

Sergio has been a janitor in the building for five years. And within those years, he has seen a lot. He has seen strange things. But this is the first time he finds a pile of clothes in front of the elevator on the seventh floor. He looks around, wondering who left their clothes there and why? Seeing that there’s no one besides him, he shrugs, and picks up the clothes. He puts the clothes into a plastic bag, and places it in his cart. Well, who knows that it may come in handy one day.

 

* * *

 

[*]

Exhausted, Villa walks to the door. It’s Friday, and it’s been a long Friday. Right now, all that he wants is has a deep sit on his couch, heat up some pizza for dinner, and maybe a couple glasses of wine before going to bed.

He inserts the key to his lock, and turns it as he hears a soft sound that startles him.

He looks down, and there he is. Merlin is looking at him with his eyes (the ones with such strange colors for a cat, Villa realizes). His tail tucked between his legs. And the way he looks at Villa, somehow looks like he’s pleading.

“Merlin?” Villa whispers, not really sure on how to greet a cat. He frantically looks around. He looks down again at the cat.

“Is Aleks here? Samir? Joe?”

The cat meows as if answering Villa’s question, even though Villa doesn’t really know what that answer means.

Villa brings himself down. “Are you with Silva then? Is he home?” Villa asks, carefully stroking the back of the cat.

The cat meows again.

“Want me to bring you to him?”

Probably Merlin understands what he said to him, because Merlin jumps into Villa.

“Whoa! Easy there, dude.” Villa says. He never holds a cat before, so it confuses him a bit on how to position the cat within his arms. But it seems like Merlin has find himself in a comfortable position as he purrs in Villa’s arms. Villa stands up, bracing himself to stroke Merlin’s fur. It’s so very soft. And somehow, the dark color of the fur reminds him of Silva’s hair. He remembers that he once touched Silva’s hair when they had that lunch. And he remembers that Silva’s hair is almost this soft.

“Okay, now let’s go to Silva’s place, shall we?” he murmurs to the cat. Somehow he feels stupid. Talking to a cat like this. And it almost frightens him to realize that he thinks the cat really understands his words.

Holding Merlin as careful as possible, Villa walks to Silva’s door. He knocks, and waits. He tries to listen, but there doesn’t seem to be any sound coming from inside. He knocks again. And wait.

After his third attempt, Villa decides that maybe it’s time to give up.

“Looks like Silva is not home,” he says, shrugging his shoulder. He stares at the cat in his arms, who seems content of being there.

“So I guess… You have to stay with me for a while, yes? I’ll text Silva to let him know that you’re with me.”

The cat meows, and lifts up one of his front paws. Strangely, it looks like as if Merlin is smiling at him. And no matter how ridiculous it may sound, there is nothing else that Villa think he can do but smiling back at the cat. His brain says that this is something that is just so unlike him. Holding a cat, talking to it as if they are having a decent conversation. Like, no. He’s not an animal person. At all. But he’s just… he just feels like he wants, almost like he needs to do it.

Villa sighs.

“Very well, then.” He says, and walks to his own apartment. His key is still hanging on the door knob. He enters the room, and once he steps in, Merlin jumps off his arms. As if he already knows where to go, he makes his way to the couch in front of the TV.

“Hey… Hey..! That’s my seat over there!” Villa says once he sees how Merlin jumps to the couch. Loosening his tie, he walks to the couch.

“It’s not even five minutes yet and you already claim your place?”

The cat lifts his head, looking definitely uninterested, and then he just curls himself on the couch. Villa shakes his head in disbelief, and starts questioning whether his decision to bring the cat in is the best thing to do.

“Oh well…” he says, and walks to the fridge. He opens the door and easily finds the box of frozen pizza. “I still have some pizza here,” he says, and look at Merlin from behind the fridge’s door. “Do you want some?”

Villa doesn’t know which one he finds more surprising. The fact that he is offering pizza to a cat, or the fact that the cat responds to him by meowing and shaking his head.

Villa blinks. Stretching his head to have a better look at Merlin, he asks again.

“Pizza?”

No. He didn’t imagine it. Merlin shakes his head, as if he is answering Villa’s question. Villa sighs, and shrugs his shoulders.

“Suit yourself, Merlin…” he says, half-mumbling. He takes the pizza out and heats it. Once he gets his pizza set for himself, he walks to the couch.

“Move… Give me some space…” he says, holding his plate and a bottle of beer. Merlin is lying at comfortably like a ball of fur in the middle of the couch with his eyes closed. Merlin lazily opens one eye, looks at Villa as if Villa annoys him, and just closes it again. Villa huffs. He plumps himself at one of the corners of the couch, right next to Merlin.

Putting his plate and beer on the table, Villa reaches out for the remote control, and turns the TV on. He flicks through the channel until he finds one that shows a replay of the latest UCL game. It’s a Barcelona game, and Villa decides to settle on that.

He finishes his pizza in 10 minutes, and when he puts back his now half-empty beer can on the table, he glances at Merlin. It surprises him that instead of sleeping, the cat is now sitting with his head upright, facing the television. With his front paws tucked in underneath his body, he seems to be watching the game on TV.

“Oh… Are you a Cules or something?” Villa asks, half-amused. But then both of Merlin’s ears stand up as the commentator sounds excited from the TV. Villa looks at the TV screen, just right when Iniesta gives a perfect assist that lead to a goal by Messi.

The cat meows.

“That was a good goal, huh?” Villa rubs Merlin’s head. Merlin looks at him, and meows. Once again, Villa has that strange feeling that the cat is smiling at him. He tentatively strokes the fur on Merlin’s head. But the content purring sound that comes from Merlin makes him believe that he’s doing it right.

He continues watching the game, keeping his hand on Merlin, stroking its fur. And without realizing when and how, the next thing he knows, Merlin already snuggles on his lap, his head rests on Villa’s thigh. Every now and then, Villa will talk about the game with him, and Merlin will answer with a meow. Even though he’s hesitant to admit it, especially because it is involving a cat, Villa feels very relaxed, and enjoying his time.

Once the game ends, Villa picks the cat off his lap, and carefully puts him back at the couch. The cat meows, and looks like he is disappointed.

“That should be enough for tonight, okay?”

Villa makes his way to the bedroom. Merlin jumps off the couch, and follows him, meowing. Villa laughs a little, but lets the cat enter when he opens the door. He goes to the bathroom to brush his teeth, and does his before-bed routine. When he opens the door, he finds Merlin, sitting upright in front of his bed. Villa chuckles, and gestures to the bed with his chin.

“Want to share the bed with me tonight?”

The cat stares at him, and then walks towards him. Villa watches in amazement as Merlin rubs himself against his leg. After that, Merlin turns around, walks towards the bed and in a way that only a cat can do, he manages to climb up to the bed.

Villa shakes his head, unconsciously smiling. He gets on his bed, and almost lies down when something strikes him.

“Oh, fuck! I forgot to text Silva!”

After a few minutes trying to figure out where did he put his phone, he finally realized that it is still in the back pocket of his trousers, that he left hanging in the bathroom. He gets back to the bed, sitting with his back rested on the headboards.

He already has Silva listed in his contact for more than a week, but still has done nothing with it. Well, now is the right time to do so, he believes.

_Hey Silva, this is Villa. I found Merlin in front of the door tonight and you don’t seem to be home. So I have him with me._

“What do you think?” he glances at Merlin, who already claims his place right next to Villa’s pillow. He reads aloud the message that he has written.

“Do you think it’s enough?”

Merlin doesn’t seem to care, as he looks already comfortable, lying on his side, his head facing Villa with his eyes closed.

Villa chuckles, and gently rubs the back of Merlin’s ear. He sends the message, and puts the phone on the night stand.

He lies down, staring at Merlin.

“Your fur is as soft as Silva’s hair, you know that?”

Merlin opens his eyes, looking sleepy.

“And your eyes, your eyes really remind me of Silva’s eyes.”

The cat makes a small pleasant sound.

Villa smiles, Merlin shifts his forward, as if he tries to sniff Villa. Instinctively, Villa nuzzles his nose to Merlin’s nose. The cat makes that low, pleasant noise once again, almost like he’s humming.

“Do you think he likes me? Silva?”

Merlin meows.

“I mean, you know him much better than me, right? Samir didn’t really say that you belong to Silva too… But I suppose you spend more time with him than me, right?”

Merlin doesn’t answer him, he already has his eyes closed again.

“Because I want him to. I want him to like me. Hopefully as much as I like him. But at least, I need to know that I have the chance to make him like me.”

Villa knows that he sounds like some kind of a freak, talking to a cat who’s already half-asleep. But he needs to somehow let it out.

“I like him. I really do like him. A lot. Much more than I would ever admit in front of the others. Do you think he knows that? That I like him?”

Probably Merlin already falls asleep. Villa smiles. Strangely feels an odd satisfaction of watching Merlin sleeping next to him. It’s almost like knowing that a small part if Silva right next to him. And he wonders, where Silva is tonight. He wonders, how awesome it would be if it really were Silva laying next to him, sharing the same bed with him.

With that last thought in his mind, Villa drifts into a peaceful sleep.


	8. About Someone On the Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David Villa finds someone is sleeping on his bed, right next to him.

Villa doesn’t know exactly what time is it when he suddenly wakes up. But it must be so very early, maybe not even morning yet. Because it isn’t his alarm that wakes him up, nor the sunlight coming in from the window. It’s a strange feeling that he’s not alone.

Brushing his eyes with his hand, it takes a second or two before his sight come into focus to figure out what the silhouette in front of him is.

Once his eyes get used to the dark, he recognizes the person sleeping next to him.

But no. For a second, Villa’s brain refuses to believe his eyes. It can’t be.

It’s Silva. Laying right next to him, hair falls on his forehead in a perfect way. Eyes closed, his chest rises up and falls down silently.

Villa rubs his eyes again with his hand, this time a bit rougher, and nervously.

Opening his eyes again, the same person is still there.

Villa inhales sharply. Somehow, that gasping sound that Villa just made is enough to make Silva stirs a little, and his eyelids start fluttering.

Villa freezes where he is. Too stunned to say anything, let alone to make any movement.

Silva’s eyes opened. He blinks once, twice, then he stares right at Villa.

Seeing Silva’s eyes staring at him like that, Villa shakes his head.

It’s a dream. It must be a dream.” Villa whispers, more to himself and of course he must be talking to himself because _for fuck’s sake how come he is talking to Silva how come how on earth Silva is here anyway._

“It’s not.”

A soft voice from Silva, and Villa’s lips parted in shock. In front of him, Silva slowly shakes his head.

“It’s not a dream,” Silva says with a low voice. He lowers his gaze, looking at the sheet instead of at Villa.

“But… but…” Villa rubs his face with both of his hand. He shifts so now he is facing the ceiling, and takes a deep breath, trying to clear out his mind.

His brain does a panic attempt on picking up the puzzle pieces, remembering what and how. He rolls again on his side, facing Silva again.

“But it was Merlin that went to bed with me last night. A cat! A FUCKING CAT!”  Villa almost goes wild and hysterical, because this is just so crazy and so absurd and so… so…

Villa gasps.

“Did you sneak into my room?”

He hates to sound so accusing like that. Because it’s not that Villa minds about it, actually, if he is being totally honest. But of course, that will be another thing. Still, it sounds like the most possible explanation of why Silva is here next to him instead of that stupid cat.

When Silva shakes his head, Villa really has no idea whether he should feel relieved about it or no.

“You let me in, Villa. You brought me here.”

Silva sounds so sad, so miserable, it’s just heartbreaking for Villa to hear him like that.

“But what I brought inside was a cat!”

Silva stares at Villa with that look in his eyes, like he is desperate to make Villa understand what he means but at the same time, he’s giving up.

Villa hates that look in Silva’s eyes.

“I was the cat, Villa. The cat was me.”

Villa says nothing. He can’t. He just can’t. So he just stares back at Silva. Just watches as Silva ducks his head, watches Silva’s chest moves as he lets out a long sigh, and slowly sits up on the bed. Silva pulls the blanket to cover the lower part of his body, and turns around. All that Villa can see now is only Silva’s back, and his shoulders, moving up and down as he breathes.

* * *

 

His feet are touching the carpeted floor, but Silva feels he is drowning. He clenches the bedside with his finger, knuckles almost turning white, because he desperately needs something that he can grip on to, something to hold on to.

It finally happens, isn’t it?

Silva has spent countless hours, thinking, pondering, imagining, how it would be when someone that he really interested in finds out one of his biggest secrets.

He just doesn’t expect that it will really hurt like this. That it will leave his heart to be so hollow.

Silva takes a deep breath, but the air feels so thick he still feels like he is suffocating.

“It’s a long story,” he whispers, voice trembling. “I don’t think you want to hear all of it, but yeah. I can turn into a cat.”

Silva laughs bitterly, shattering the dark. Just like what he dares to hope then starts cracking, ready to fall into million pieces.

He can feel Villa moving. Silva closes his eyes, thinking maybe he should just stand up and walk away. From this room, from Villa’s life.

Then he feels Villa’s warm breath brushes the bare skin of his shoulder, and his heart starts beating like it never was before.

Villa places his hand on Silva’s waist tentatively. His touch is gentle, but it sparks fireworks that quickly runs through Silva’s vein.

“You can tell me it later, if you want to…” Villa says, voice low and deep. Sensing that Silva does not move away from his touch, he tightens his hand a little on Silva’s waist. Carefully, Villa wraps his other arm around Silva from behind.

Suddenly, Silva forgets how to breathe. All that he can think of now is only how good it is to have their skin touching like this, how warm Villa’s skin over his and just oh how good it feels he wants nothing else but more more and more of this.

“Tell me later,” Villa rests his chin over his shoulder. “But please, please don’t go now. Please stay…”

Silva opens his eyes and it’s dark but the heat he is feeling now is just unbearable and there is something starts bubbling inside of him.

Villa lets his hand off from Silva’s waist only to search for his hand, and holds it.

“Don’t go, Silva. Please…”

The plea in Villa’s voice sounds so desperate and lonely. Silva slowly, slowly turns his face to look at Villa. Villa’s face is as close as he once dreamt about but not as close as he wants right now. The darkness falls on shadow in Villa’s face but in his eyes, Silva sees something burning but also fragile and Silva cannot think of anything else but fall fall fall into that deep eyes.

Villa brushes Silva’s jawline with his thumb, slowly, almost agonizing Silva with how it lit the fire inside of him.

“Stay. Stay with me. At least for tonight.”

For tonight.

At least for tonight.

Maybe Villa is right. Maybe tonight is the only chance that he will ever have.

Silva can taste the bitter end of all of this. But at least, for tonight, he’ll let himself fall and drown.

His body is pressed tightly against Villa as Villa pulls him to fall back to the bed.


	9. About You. And the Cat too.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villa and Silva. A conversation in an early morning.

Even before he opens his eyes, Villa already feels it. The emptiness that shouldn’t be there. The absence of warmth that supposed to be there. Once he opened his eyes, he gasps. The space next to him is empty.

“Silva?” he calls him, his raspy voice sounds even hoarser.

No answer.

Villa sits up, brushing his eyes with his hand. He glances at the nightstand. The digital red numbers showing that it’s already 8.17.

“Silva?”

Villa tries calling him once again.

He doesn’t really wait for any answer as he quickly picks up his cotton pajamas pants from the floor, wears it and half-runs to the door.

Stepping out of the bedroom, he sees Silva, sitting quietly on the chair. Hands folded neatly on the dining table, Silva is gazing at the window, looking pensive.

Villa slowly walks closer.

“You’re here…” he says.

Silva turns his head around, returning Villa’s gaze. Rays of sunlight falls on his hair, creating shadows. A vague smile curls up on Silva’s lips. So vague, as if he’s not really sure whether he is allowed to smile.

“You’re still here…” Villa repeats his words as he walks to the table where Silva is sitting.

“I know, I’m sorry…” Silva’s smile turns into an apologetic one as he looks down to the table. “I should have-”

“No no no…” Villa cut his words as he wraps his arms around Silva’s shoulders. He can feel Silva gets tense in his arms. It only makes him tighten his arms around the smaller figure.

“I opened up my eyes and you were gone and it freaked me out because I thought you’ve gone already. And oh…” Villa shakes his head a little, then rests his chin on the top of Silva’s head. “You have no idea how happy I am to see that you are still here.”

Silva lifts his head up a little. Villa lets go of his arms, and slowly rubs Silva’s shoulder.

“Well…” Silva lets out a small, nervous laugh. “I… I guess I still owe you an explanation, no?”

There is that faint smile on Silva’s lips, and the look in his eyes is misted by something so close to sadness, it makes Villa’s heart aches so bad.

“You can explain if you want to. But only if you want to…” Villa slowly traces Silva’s jawline with his thumb.

There is a light of hope sparks in Silva’s eyes as his smile gets a little bit wider. Just a little bit. He ducks his head down again, and then gestures with his chin to the kitchen counter.

“There is coffee in the pot,” he waves his hand vaguely. “And I made…some breakfast? Sorry for messing up your kitchen stuffs.”

Villa wraps his arms again around Silva and kisses the top of his head.

“Thank you.” He whispers, smiling because this is the first time he has someone preparing breakfast for him and it feels so simple and yet it fills him with warmth.  “Let me clean up myself first, okay?”

Silva nods. His smile looks so innocent it makes him looks even younger and more lovely than what Villa can even think of.

“Promise me you won’t go away, please? Just promise me.”

Silva bites his lower lip, but nods.

 

* * *

 

 

Silva watches Villa’s back as he walks away. There is a tight feeling in his chest and he’s not really sure what it means. He stands up, and walks to the cabinet and starts taking out some plates. Setting up the table for two, he wonders whether Villa will like the pancakes. And his mind starts to wander, on how it would feel to have someone to have breakfast with, and how delightful it will be if that someone is Villa. The thought makes Silva stop for a second, because there is that stab on his chest, reminds him that no, he better not starts dreaming about something that will only break and shatter down.

He cracks the egg on the pan, snorts to himself for being so stupid that he even dares to wish that something will grow between him and Villa.

Silva closes his eyes, lets out a long sigh, but the pain in his chest still remain, the ache in his heart is still there. He shakes his head again and continues with the egg and the pan.

“That smells really good…”

Silva turns around, and he finds Villa, with a fresh shirt and a pair of short jeans. The shirt clings on his body, a little bit too tight. Which is bad. Because it only reminds Silva of how his hands were traveling, exploring the curves of that body last night. The thought makes Silva shivers, he has to turn around, setting the eggs to a plate.

“I hope you like pancake and eggs,” he says.

“If you’re the one who cooked them, they will be my favorite.”

Silva bites his lips to hold a smile from forming. He turns around from the kitchen counter and walks to the table, bringing the plate with eggs on it.

“Coffee?” Villa offers from the kitchen island, where he holds the coffee pot.

“Yes, please. With just a little sugar.” Silva answers, setting the plate on the table as he sits down.

“Sure.” Villa pours coffee to the mugs. From where he sits, Silva can hear the sound of Villa stirring the coffee.

Villa walks to the table, two mugs of coffee are on his hands. He puts one in front of Silva.

“Yours,” he says. And before Silva knows it, Villa bows down to place a light kiss on his cheek.  Silva gasps. His hand flies to where Villa’s warms lips were there a moment ago, as Villa takes his seat across of him on the table.

“Thank you,” Silva stumbles a little. Villa lifts up his head, and a shy smile form on his lips. A smile that do nothing but makes Silva’s stomach make a backflip as he smiles back at Villa.

Villa takes a stack of pancake to put it on his plate. Silva watches as he sips his coffee. The coffee is perfect, as if Villa already knows exactly how he wants his coffee.

Silva keeps on watching him as Villa starts eating. It’s just so painful to feel how being here and having breakfast like this is something that he really wouldn’t mind to get used to.

Vila moans a little, making Silva coughs.

“Gosh, Silva. This is so good.”

Silva can’t hold his smile from spreading on his face.

“By the way,” Silva puts his mug on the table. “I… I borrow some of your clothes.”

Villa nods. “I notice that. But keep it.”

Silva licks his lower lip. It’s nice, wearing Villa’s shirt and smelling that faint scent of Villa on him.

“I like it. You in my clothes.”

Silva’s mouth parted open to hear Villa, but in front of him, Villa’s eyes look sincere. And there is a brighter color flushes on Villa’s cheek.

“So keep it. Seriously.”

“Okay then,” Silva nods. Hand brushing away his hair from covering his eyes, he smiles.

 

* * *

 

Villa can’t remember when was the last time he felt this way. A content peaceful feeling. The rush in his vein whenever he sees a smile flashes on Silva’s face. The way his heart jumps around just to see, to know that Silva is here. The thrill he has whenever he remembers how his lips have traveled on Silva’s skin, of how Silva’s touches had burn him with fire last night.

But somewhere, somewhere at the back of his head, something tells him that he need to make things straight.

He sighs, and places his fork and knife on his plate.

From across the table, Silva stares at him. Villa can see the fear that starts growing in his eyes.

“Silva,” Villa reaches out for Silva’s hand, and holds it. “Please, please let me talk.”

Even just by holding his hand, Villa can feel how Silva’s body gets tense. Villa tightens his hand on Silva’s.

“I know that there are things about you that I don’t understand yet. And you might think I would somehow… leave you…”

“Wouldn’t you, anyway?” Silva cuts off his words, rather sharply. And it hurts Villa to see that fear and resentment in Siva’s eyes.

“I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t, Silva.”

Villa puts another hand on Silva, holding Silva’s right hand with both of his.

“Whatever it is about you, it’s something that I want to know, something that I want to learn. Please, Silva. Give me a chance to do so…”

Silva looks away. Villa stands up, walks closer and kneels down in front of Silva. He carefully touches Silva’s chin with his fingers, turning Silva’s head to face him. Silva’s lips are trembling. His chest raises up and down as he takes a deep breath.

“It’s a long story.”

“I don’t care. Tell me if you’re ready to do so. Tell me if you want to. But please…”

Villa folds his arm on Silva’s lap and buries his face there, tries to breathe. After a while, he lifts his head up, holds his gaze at Silva’s eyes.

“Stay, please? Just…don’t go away from me.”

Silva’s eyes get softer.

“So you can have someone to make breakfast for you every morning?”

Villa chuckles. “Well, that sounds good. But I think of it more like a bonus.”

He takes Silva’s hand, letting their fingers tangled together.

“Now that I know how it feels to be next to you, I don’t think I can take it if I have to lose it. if I have to lose you.”

A smile starts to curl up on Silva’s lips.

“I thought you’re not an animal person.”

Villa cocks his head a little. “I can make an exception. For a cat. For one particular cat.”

Silva laughs. And it’s just so lovely, so delightful to see him laughing like that, with a childlike expression and hairs fall all over his head.

“So can we, at least, try? Will you give me a chance to learn more about you?”

Silva’s laugh lingers as a smile on his lips as he runs his fingers through Villa’s hair.

“I’m afraid that it means you will also have to learn about the cat too, then.” Silva answers.

“I don’t mind. As long as it’s that one particular cat.”

“Don’t worry. You only have to deal with one cat.”

Villa rests his head again on Silva’s lap, feeling Silva’s finger between his hair. After a while he looks up.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Hmmmm?” Silva hums, raising one of his eyebrows.

“When you are… “ Villa clears his throat. “When you are being… Merlin, can you still hear what people say? And do you still remember it when you get back to yourself?”

There is a smirk, almost a smug one on Silva’s lips.

“Oh, I do, Villa. I do…” he leans his face a little to level his mouth with Villa’s ear.

“Including the things you said last night about how you want me to like you.”

Villa’s face instantly turns into a bright shade of red. But then he stands up, and pulls Silva’s hand.

“Still, I feel like I need to say it again. A reconstruction. Right at the place where I said it last night.”

Silva laughs again as he lets himself being pulled to the bedroom.

“Yeah. I think I can hear it better when I am myself. And even better, I can give answers too.”

Villa stops only to puts his arms around Silva’s waist and whispers at his ear.

“Good. Because I would love to hear answer for those questions.”

From the way Silva moans when he kisses Silva’s neck, Villa has a feeling that he will have a satisfying answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who have read this story, thank you very much :).  
> I know that this story is far from good, but if I have to be honest, this is something that I really enjoy writing. I hope you enjoy it too.


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